The Colored Regulars in the United States Army | Page 2

the story itself will atone for any defects in the
style of the narration, the volume is now offered to a sympathetic
public, affectionately dedicated to the men whose heroic services have
furnished the theme for my pen.
T.G. STEWARD. Wilberforce, Ohio, September, 1899.

LETTER FROM GENERAL MILES.
Headquarters of the Army, Washington, August 5, 1899.
Rev. T.G. Steward, Chaplain 25th Infantry, Wilberforce, Ohio.
Dear Sir:--Your letter of the 20th ultimo was duly received, but my
time has been so much engrossed with official duties, requiring my
presence part of the time out of the city, that it has not been practicable
to comply with your request earlier; and even now I can only reply very
briefly.
You will remember that my acquaintance with negro character
commenced during the Civil War. The colored race then presented
itself to me in the character of numerous contrabands of war, and as a
people who, individually, yearned for the light and life of liberty. Ages
of slavery had reduced them to the lowest ebb of manhood. From that
degree of degradation I have been an interested spectator of the
marvelously rapid evolution of the down-trodden race. From the
commencement of this evolution to the present time I have been more
or less in a position to closely observe their progress. At the close of
the war I was in command of one of the very important military
districts of the South, and my concern for the welfare of all the people
of that district, not excluding the people of color, you will find
evidenced in the measures taken by me, more especially in regard to
educational matters, at that time. The first regiment which I
commanded on entering the Regular Army of the United States at the
close of the war was made up of colored troops. That regiment--the
40th Infantry--achieved a reputation for military conduct which forms a
record that may be favorably compared with the best regiments in the
service. Then, again, refer to my General Order No. 1, issued after the
fall of Santiago, and you will see that recognition is not grudgingly
given to the troops who heroically fought there, whether of American,
of African, or of Latin descent. If so early in the second generation of
the existence of the race in the glorious light of liberty it produces such
orators as Douglas, such educators as Booker T. Washington, such
divines as the Afro-American Bishops, what may we not expect of the
race when it shall have experienced as many generations of growth and

development as the Anglo-Saxons who now dominate the thought, the
inventive genius, the military prowess, and the commercial enterprise
of the world! Very truly yours,
NELSON A. MILES.
[Illustration: Lieutenant-General Nelson A. Miles.]

Headquarters of the Army, Siboney, Cuba, July 16, 1898.
General Field Orders No. 1.
The gratifying success of the American arms at Santiago de Cuba and
some features of a professional character both important and instructive,
are hereby announced to the army.
The declaration of war found our country with a small army scattered
over a vast territory. The troops composing this army were speedily
mobilized at Tampa, Fla. Before it was possible to properly equip a
volunteer force, strong appeals for aid came from the navy, which had
inclosed in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba an important part of the
Spanish fleet. At that time the only efficient fighting force available
was the United States Army, and in order to organize a command of
sufficient strength, the cavalry had to be sent dismounted to Santiago
de Cuba with the infantry and artillery.
The expedition thus formed was placed under command of
Major-General Shafter. Notwithstanding the limited time to equip and
organize an expedition of this character, there was never displayed a
nobler spirit of patriotism and fortitude on the part of officers and men
going forth to mantain the honor of their country. After encountering
the vicissitudes of an ocean voyage, they were obliged to disembark on
a foreign shore and immediately engage in an aggressive campaign.
Under drenching storms, intense and prostrating heat, within a
fever-afflicted district, with little comfort or rest, either by day or night,
they pursued their purpose of finding and conquering the enemy. Many
of them, trained in the severe experience of the great war, and in

frequent campaigns on the Western plains, officers and men alike
exhibited a great skill, fortitude, and tenacity, with results which have
added a new chapter of glory to their country's history. Even when their
own generals in several cases were temporarily disabled, the troops
fought on with the same heroic spirit until success was finally achieved.
In many instances the officers placed themselves in front of their
commands, and under their direct and skillful leadership the trained
troops of